Declare!

Declare!

‭‭1 Chronicles 16:23-24 NIV‬‬

[23] Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. [24] Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

The ark of God had been taken by the Philistines during the battle that took the lives of Saul and his three sons. The ark was returned to Kiriath Jearim by the Philistines after the ark had wrought some terror in the land of the Philistines. However, there appeared to be no use for the ark, because it was abandoned in Kiriath Jearim for 20 years before David came for it. Just think of this: the symbol of God's presence with His people had been forgotten. In fact, in the verses before today's extract, David said there was no inquiry of the ark throughout the reign of Saul. How did a king who was anointed by God to be king wander so far away from God that he was consulting mediums? This is what happens when a man develops a sense of self-sufficiency. At no time is a man able and capable of pleasing God all by himself; we do this by a daily dependence on God. David understood the importance of the presence of God, and that is why he did all he could to build a place for the ark of the covenant to be kept. What steps am I taking to ensure that the Presence of God can find a home in me? 

As David laid the right foundation for the return of the ark, the song in the verses above is the focus. When my relationship with God is right, everything else falls into place. When my heart and life are right with God, it would appear that even the earth and all its attachments will respond. Actually, the earth and its attachments do not have a problem acknowledging the power, might and strength of God, because the earth recognizes and knows its Creator. It is man who struggles with his identity, seeking validation and acceptance from the wrong sources. David's song here is a call to all who know God to make Him known on the earth. Let the people of the earth be reminded again of the power of God. Let his mighty acts be known all over the world. If I do not speak about these, how would the earth know? I must not keep God's mighty acts to myself, so nations can know Him and give Him praise. Like David, can God count on me to be an effective witness of His power, presence and perfection? God's time of favour is here.